Hunter Schafer says she doesn’t want her trans identity to be the focal point of her Hollywood career.
She then explained she deliberately steers clear of using the word “trans” in interviews to avoid having her career hyperfocused on her gender identity.
“It has not just happened naturally by any means. If I let it happen, it would still be giving ‘Transsexual Actress’ before every article ever,” Hunter said.
“As soon as I say it, it gets blastoff,” she added about when the word “trans” is used in her interviews.
Hunter rose to fame after playing a young trans character, Jules Vaughn, in HBO’s hit teen drama Euphoria.
She revealed to GQ she’s been offered “tons of trans roles” since starring in the award-winning show, but doesn’t want to be pigeonholed because it’s “ultimately demeaning” to her career.
“It took a while to learn that, and it also took a while to learn that I don’t want to be [reduced to] that, and I find it ultimately demeaning to me and what I want to do,” Hunter explained.
“Especially after high school, I was sick of talking about it. I worked so hard to get to where I am, past these really hard points in my transition, and now I just want to be a girl and finally move on,” she added.
When Hunter was still in high school, she made headlines for challenging North Carolina’s House Bill 2, which banned students from using public school restrooms that don’t coincide with the gender on their birth certificates.
Hunter went on to share that her ability to reject trans roles was a “privilege,” adding: “It’s been very intentional. I’ve gotten offered tons of trans roles, and I just don’t want to do it. I don’t want to talk about it.”
But even so, she says she feels “a little bit of guilt” over not leaning into being “more of a spokesperson” for her community.
“I know for a fact that I’m one of the most famous trans people in media right now, and I do feel a sense of responsibility, and maybe a little bit of guilt, for not being more of a spokesperson,” the Cuckoo star explained.
“But ultimately, I really do believe that not making it the centrepiece to what I’m doing will allow me to get further,” she added.
“And I think getting further and doing awesome shit, in the interest of ‘the movement,’ will be way more helpful than talking about it all the time.”
Help and support:
- The Gender Trust supports anyone affected by gender identity | 01527 894 838
- Mermaids offers information, support, friendship and shared experiences for young people with gender identity issues | 0208 1234819
- LGBT Youth Scotland is the largest youth and community-based organisation for LGBT people in Scotland. Text 07786 202 370
- Gires provides information for trans people, their families and professionals who care for them | 01372 801554
- Depend provides support, advice and information for anyone who knows, or is related to, a transsexual person in the UK